Bound To You
by purplelarkspur
Summary: Second Chances- - -people long for it so badly; but when it hits them right in the face, they're too scared to recognize it for what it is. Kenji, believing Darien will never be worthy of Serena, ripped them apart. Now years later, the tides have changed. Darien is the only man who can help Kenji. But he wants one thing in return- Serena.
1. Give me back what's mine

Disclaimer: You know how it works. SM isn't mine. I'm just doing this for fun.

One

_Motoki saw Darien wince as he dabbed some cotton at the cut on his forehead. He was about to close the arcade when his friend came, brutally beaten._

_"So are you gonna tell me what happened?" Motoki asked, breaking the silence._

_"Ken Tsukino's security personnel"-Darien cleared his throat- "beat me when I tried to force my way into their house."_

_"Why did you do that? Darien, you almost got arrested the last time you were there. You know Serena's father doesn't like-"_

_"I know! But I can't help it! It's been two fucking weeks Motoki!" Darien shouted, hands slamming the countertop. "I miss her; she won't even answer my calls. I knew there was something wrong. She was distracted and won't talk much that night in my apartment."_

_Motoki could only stare at his friend. Yes, it has indeed been two weeks since they last saw Serena. He couldn't entirely blame Darien for doing what he did. After all, two weeks was enough time for Ken Tsukino to make sure Darien never sees the girl ever again._

_To say that Mr. Tsukino disliked Darien was an understatement. The man loathed Darien. For the businessman an orphan, who relies on scholarship and works two jobs to feed himself, does not deserve his only daughter. But Motoki believed otherwise. He had never seen anything as beautiful as the love Serena and Darien had for each other. Sure the two started as enemies. He smiled to himself remembering their constant bickering. He was lucky enough to witness their hatred bloom into deep affection for each other. Their happiness was infectious. _

_Sadly, Serena's father was not convinced. Instead he saw Darien as an obstacle to the future he envisioned for his daughter. That Serena marries man like Diam Turner. The son of Dillon Turner, owner of Turner Corp._

_"Did you at least saw Serena?" He finally asked Darien._

_Pain. That was what Motoki saw in Darien's eyes when his friend looked at him. _

_"Serena left two days ago, to study in London. Kenji said she finally accepted Dillon Turner's offer to pay for her college. He said she also agreed to go there with fucking Turner's son."_

"One chocolate milkshake please."

"Sure pretty." Startled, Motoki smiled at the little girl with green hair tied into buns. It was the sight of that hairstyle that brought back the memories of two of his friends from ten years ago. "Would you like a cupcake too? I'll give you one for free."

The little girl jumped in her seat.

Motoki headed to prepare her order all the while thinking how Darien and Serena are.

* * *

Darien was interrupted from reading the report in front of him as the voice from the intercom echoed in his office. "Mr. Shields," it was his secretary Mina Aino, "you asked me to inform you as soon as Mr. Tsukino arrived. Well, he's here half hour late and you have a conference meeting in fifteen minutes shall I ask him to-"

"Send him in." Darien said.

"Surely you can see him after the meeting Mr. Shields, the-"

"Cancel the meeting Ms. Aino." He said with finality.

Darien did not wait for his secretary to answer. He was keeping track of the Tsukinos ever since he graduated from business school. And he found out Kenji Tsukino was struggling business wise for the past years now, his newly discovered addiction to gambling only sealed his company's fate. So Darien knew it was only a matter of time for this day to come.

The day when he takes back what Kenji Tsukino took from him. And damn if he will wait one more minute.

* * *

Two days after their fated meeting, Kenji clutched the phone in his hands, unsure of what to do. Mr. Shields, as he prefered to be called now, was very straightforward with his proposal. He offered to help him financially, the man knew everything about his current predicament.

He sighed remembering the events that led him to this situation. Last year, the last branch of his chain of restaurants closed for good. It was easy to blame it on economic recession but Kenji knew better. It all started when he sent his daughter away to study abroad.

Serena had totally distanced herself from him. She never did once came home during vacation or even during holidays and Kenji knew it was an act of rebellion. But he'll be damned if he's going to say he wasn't affected. He loves Serena so much that her indifference caused him to be depressed. He was drunk almost every day; he went womanizing. He did everything to distract himself. Lately, the best distraction came in the form of gambling. And so next thing he knew everything he's worked for his entire life was gone. He also also owed Dillon Turner a huge sum of money. Yes, even this house will soon be taken by the bank. This house that holds so much memories of his beloved wife Selene, and he can't let that happen.

He recalled his conversation with Darien Shields.

"It's easy Kenji, give me what I want and I will write any amount on this check." Darien said.

Kenji was expecting Darien to insult him for what had become of his life. And to point out that he was wrong when he told him that he will never achieve anything. From what he heard the man was now the owner of several hotels all over Japan.

But Darien remained civil. He never did once mentioned anything about the past. Well except maybe now. For Kenji knew there is only one reason Darien would seek him out even after all this years.

"What is it that you want Da- Mr. Shields?"

"Serena."


	2. A decade ago

**Two**

_**Notes: **__Thanks to those who reviewed, followed and marked this story as favorite. Nickybluejess, LoveInTheBattleField, Moonprincess998, Trosario and Kissesncake: Thanks! TropicalRemix I hope this chapter answers your question. SaphireShimmer I meant to use page breaks in between scenes but I used my phone to post chapter one so I guess it didn't come out the way I expected it. I appreciate your comment I'll make sure to keep that in mind for the future chapters. Thanks._

**Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine. The school mentioned in this chapter was used in a fictitious manner. **

Serena sat in the lounge anxiously waiting for her flight. Her father called yesterday to tell her that he needed her to come home. She noted the urgency in his father's voice.

The twenty-eight year old blonde beauty was worried. Despite their differences, she loved the old man so much. She figured it might be about their family business, though she seriously doubted she can help if that's the case.

Ten years she thought. She meant to go home right after graduation but decided to put it off. Instead she spent the succeeding years teaching at Holmewood, a school for children with special needs, in London. She felt a certain fulfillment with her chosen profession. Something her daddy constantly disapproves of.

"You can do better than teaching Serena." That was his father's usual line whenever they speak over the phone. It was one of the reasons it took her until this day to finally agree to go back. It was easier to deal with his dad when they were miles apart.

Ever since her mom died, Kenji became obsessed in controlling every aspect of her life. She did her best to understand that it was her father's way of coping with his wife's death. But the absolute breaking point of their relationship came after she turned eighteen.

_Serena decided to celebrate her birthday with Darien. They went to a restaurant despite her insistence that they just go to Crown Arcade instead. _

_"If I had my way I'd take you somewhere more special than this." Darien said._

_"You baka, you know you can buy me a milkshake and it will still be special." She giggled._

_"Yeah, you're so easy to please sometimes I think it just took one smile to make you fall in love with me Odango-Atama." He playfully said._

_"Uh Huh, That's coming from the guy who practically swooned at the first sight of just my hair."_

_"You mean your crumpled test paper right?"_

_"Yeah, okay you fell in love with me at the mere sight of my crumpled test paper." _

_They decided to spend the rest of the day at his apartment after. At first they just sat on the couch together. Perhaps it was the movie they were watching or the ice cream. But one thing led to another..._

_Darien stood from the bathroom door staring at the woman lying on his bed. He took in every inch of her from the long golden hair now spread messily on his pillows, her soft breasts that he tasted earlier, her small waist and long legs. Her skin glowed under the moonlight. She was so beautiful._

_As if on cue, Serena opened her eyes. She followed his gaze and saw they both stared at the bloodstains on the sheets._

"_Did I hurt you?" He asked._

"_No, I feel perfect." She said._

"_I do too." He said as he walked toward her. He sat beside her then kissed her softly. "Thank you. I love you Serena."_

"_I love you too."_

"_Let me go with you, we'll talk to your dad."_

_"My father would kill you. I'll be fine Darien. "She tried to smile but Darien can tell she's scared._

_"Fuck, I wish my parents left me with a lot of money."_

_"Darien..."_

_"Sorry love, I guess I'm just-" Darien sighed pulling her into his arms. "Serena, please say you'll hold on no matter what."_

_"I love you Darien."_

_The following morning, Serena went home surprised to find her father sitting on the couch looking absolutely mad. _

_"Tell me you didn't sleep with that scum!" He said._

_"Dad, please his name is Darien."_

_"I don't care what his name is! I'm going to have him arrested for raping you!"_

"_I'm already eighteen! And Darien didn't rape me! He will never force me into doing anything I don't want. Unlike how you push me to go out with Diam even if I already made it clear that I don't like him or his father's money!" Serena instantly regret what she said._

_"So you think that guy is worth you defying me?" Kenji stood up._

_"I will deny whatever it is that you tell the police dad."_

_"Angel, you'll be surprised with the wonder a few calls can make." With that her father left her more dreadful than ever. _

_It didn't take long for Serena to find out what Kenji did. She arrived home that day heading straight to his father's study. _

_"Darien's scholarship was rebuffed; did you have anything to do with this?" She asked._

_"I'm surprised you have to ask darling." His father said without looking up from the book he was reading._

_"Please, stop doing this. Why can't you see him for what he is? Darien is a good person. He's doing his best to prove himself to you. So he's not as rich as Diam but he's smart, hardworking and kind and..." Serena trailed off almost smiling, thinking of all good things she can say about the twenty-one year old guy. "Please dad, give him a chance. Take back what you did." She approached her father. "I'll do anything."_

_"I'm sure you will Serena, after all he's about to lose his job too."_


	3. I forgive you, Dad

**Three**

**Note: I changed the rating of this story from T to M because of the nature of the chapters I'm currently working on. Thanks for all those who reviewed. **

**Typing disclaimer...**

"Dad, you'd think by now, considering everything that happened, you'd realize you can't control my life." Serena tried her best to stay calm. She was in the dining room having dinner with her father. It was the first meal they shared in years. A meal she hardly tasted. Not because she didn't like the food of course. In fact, she missed everything about this place. It was what Kenji was saying that caused her to lose her appetite.

"Please listen first Serena." Kenji was deep in thought for a moment, then he looked her in the eye and said. "I kept telling myself, when you won't go home for the holidays, you'd eventually come around. That you'd realize I just wanted the best for you. Your mom, even before we were married, worked hard all her life. It was hard for me seeing her come home tired every day from work. While I had a job that barely covered the mortgage on this house."

Serena stared at her father. Their first encounter a few hours ago at the airport was awkward. The ride home was even worse. She took a moment to study his features and noticed the wrinkles now marring his handsome face. There were also dark circles around his eyes. He also lacked the haughtiness she was accustomed of. The ten years really took a toll on the old man. She felt guilty for not coming home sooner but she never felt totally ready until last week. She put down her chopsticks but remained seated and Kenji took it as a sign to continue.

"Selene died long before our first restaurant opened. I never got the chance to give her the life she deserved." Kenji said trying his best to fight back the tears. Even until now the memory of his wife makes him sad. Selene was the source of his happiness, she always made it a point to make him smile. She encouraged him whenever he had doubts about himself. Kenji loved her more than his own life. "This house was the best that I could give her. She said she was happy, that it was enough. I wanted more for her. I promised her a bigger house, cars, vacations, everything. But she died before I could give her any of those. And I swore to myself I will make sure you won't suffer the same fate your mom did."

"I don't know how to say this angel, but-" Kenji stopped gathering up the courage to say his next words. "-I guess I learned my lesson the hard way. Sometimes people think they know better just because they've been there."

"You distancing yourself from me was the first blow. Then I found out you moved out of the apartment Dillon and I provided for you and his son. And took jobs to support yourself for college. I saw my worst nightmares play right in front of me." He gave her a pained smile.

"You sent me there to give me the life of a princess and yet I chose to be a commoner." Serena said.

Kenji trully smiled now. "It was then that I, without any doubt, believed that your mother wasn't lying when she said she was contented with what we have. For you never could have inherited that trait from me. You are so like her."

"I'll be honest angel, when I decided to meet Darien Shields last week, all I was thinking about was paying off my debts and saving this house. I didn't think my pride mattered anymore. He was the only one willing to help me." Kenji paused to drink water. "It could have been better if he was mean to me but he was very civil. And I thought: "what better way to make me realize how stupid I was?" But when he said he only wanted you in return I saw it as a chance to correct my mistakes with you. It was like hitting two birds with one stone."

"But you're asking me to marry him! You can't take away a little kid's favorite toy during his childhood then give it back to him when he gets older expecting him to feel the same way about it. That's not how it works dad."

Serena felt bad comparing the situation to a lost toy but she couldn't think of anything else to say. She couldn't believe Darien would still want to marry her after all these years. Ten years ago, after her father told her that he asked the company Darien worked for to fire him, Kenji said he wanted her to marry Diam Turner. She practically begged him and in the end she agreed to move to London with Diam instead. In return, he will fix the damage he did about Darien's scholarship. Kenji warned her not to tell Darien, he wanted to make sure their relationship would be damaged beyond repair. And she knew better than to challenge the extent her father would do just to rip them apart. She refused to be the reason Darien would not reach his goals. There were times Darien would ask why she seemed distracted and she would just say she was worried about her classes.

"I'm sorry angel, I seemed like a good idea to me. I thought you still love him."

"It's been a decade dad, besides wasn't he already engaged to the granddaughter of a well known business man?" Serena asked remembering that particular day she found out about it. It was spring break, she was flicking through channels on the television when the photo headline of a local Japanese news channel caught her attention. It was a picture Darien, his arms around a very beautiful raven haired girl. She failed to catch the name but the anchor said they just recently got engaged. She immediately turned the TV off after that. That night she cried a lot.

"I heard Rei Hino broke off the engagement two months ago."

"That doesn't make it any better dad." She wanted to ask him if he already forgot about how she and Darien were separated but thought better of it. She wondered why Darien and Rei Hino called their engagement off. Part of her was hopeful she could still work things out with Darien. But the other part thought maybe Darien just wanted to stage a fake engagement to spite his ex-fiance. As what the British said "expect the worst."

"It's ok angel, you don't have to do it." Kenji said.

"How much do you owe the bank dad?" She asked.

"It's not much, but with our business gone..." Kenji said. "I'm sure we can think of another plan to save the house. In the mean time, I bought chocolate ice cream. You still like them right?

"I still do dad." She smiled. She was still new to this side of his father. But she was very glad for the change in the old man. She moved to the living room waiting for the best ice cream ever.

Serena's first week back home was amazing. Her father made sure to take her someplace new almost every day. He said she needed to be reintroduced to Japanese culture. She laughed at that. She remembered the other day when Kenji bought her a watch when they went shopping. She said it was cracking. Kenji went looking for the receipt and said they should have it replaced. He laughed so hard when he realized she meant it was great.

Everything seemed okay. The letters from the bank kept coming but Kenji would just dismiss it. He said maybe they should just sell the house and rent an apartment. He even said he would love to live in London if she wanted to go back there. For once Serena felt like nothing in her life could be wrong. But that's where she was wrong.

It happened the night she arrived from the spa one day. She bought some andangi (deep fried buns) and mochi ice cream because they were Kenji's favorite. She froze when she saw her father sprawled on the dining floor. She rushed him to the hospital and there she found out that Kenji had aplastic anemia.

**Note: In this chapter Kenji was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. This is a tribute to my brother who died of the said disease 8 years ago. I'm not sure if there are other known cures for it today. But back then the only cure was a bone marrow transplant. So for the sake of the story (and my sanity) let's pretend it still is.**

**Also excuse my grammar mistakes and slow updates. English is not my first language. Adios for now. **


	4. Behind the Shoji door

**Four**

**Disclaimer: Sailor Mine is not mine but I enjoy watching it on Youtube. ;)**

Darien was sipping his tea as he sat crossed-legged over the cushion on the tatami floor. He chose a private booth for this meeting because he didn't want the paparazzi to spot him. He also opted for a different restaurant than the one he used to go to whenever he does business meetings. His recently broken engagement with Rei made him an instant celebrity and he didn't want to give them something to write about again. Well, at least not yet he thought. Rei was the granddaughter of Kosuke Hino the president of Hino Group Inc., a conglomerate company in Japan.

Darien stared at the translucent wall in front him noticing two figures approaching the Shoji door. The first figure, which appeared to be wearing the traditional kimono, slid the door open. She bowed at Darien and motioned the second figure to come in. He heard a soft female voice said "Domo arigatou" and he knew his date has arrived.

"Dou itashi mashite." The waitress said and turned to leave as Serena entered the room.


	5. Read between the lines

Five

**Notes: I mentioned on the previous chapter something about slow updates. I was I actually referring to my future updates. I have this story halfway finished, well at least in my head. Lol. I just need to find a way to put 'em into words. The first four chapters were in my files long before I got the courage to actually post it. **

Darien, the gentleman that he was, stood up and waited for Serena to move. Legs shaking, she walked across the room toward the low table; her heart beating so hard that she can't feel anything else. She kept her gaze down but she can tell he was looking at her. It was a short distance really but it seemed to take her forever. When she saw her feet were already alongside the cushion, she took a deep breath to regain her composure and looked up into his eyes.

They were as she remembered them to be, mesmerizing, the deepest blue she had ever seen. There came a time when she wouldn't look up at the sky at night for it reminded her of his eyes.

But unlike before when he used to regard her with gentle affection, he was now looking at her with total indifference. He looked healthier now she noted; he was a little scrawny back then when he used to work two jobs and attend university. She noticed the five o'clock shadow that had already grown; it only made him look more handsome than ever. His jaw looked stiff and his lips pressed into a fine line. She saw him swallow then he cleared his throat.

"I already ordered I hope you don't mind," he said.

"Not at all," she said thankful her voice didn't fail her and that he spoke first. For a minute she saw Darien's eyes widen but then she must have just imagine it.

She thought of what she would have said had she been the one to break the silence. She'd probably just managed to say hi and that would really be ridiculous.

They stood a little longer just looking at each other; then feeling her legs could no longer support her, she decided to kneel sat down. The formal way, she thought to herself; this was after all a formal meeting.

Darien then resumed his position before she arrived.

They sat facing each other, the square table between them, which Serena swore seemed to shrink every second.

"Make yourself comfortable Serena," he said, "your legs will easily tire, and you've been away here so long you're probably used with chairs." It was a thoughtful thing to say but his facial expression remained impassive.

However, Serena knew he had a point, this reunion was uneasy enough to begin with; the least she wanted was to have cramped legs. She proceeded to arrange the blue dress she was wearing and moved both her legs on her right. It was indeed more comfortable.

"That's very considerate." She contemplated smiling but decided not to. "Thank you."

Darien didn't reply to that instead he reached for the button on the table and minutes later the restaurant staff arrived with their food.

Serena was not feeling very hungry at the moment but ate what she could anyway.

Darien just continued to watch her with the look she couldn't place and Serena felt her blood rushing all over her body. She began to talk hoping to ease the tension. "I apologize for having requested this meeting on a very short time. Your secretary said your schedule was already crammed. I was really glad when she called back to say you had last minute changes and would be able to accommodate me," she said feeling a just bit more relaxed.

"Of course, you must be very eager to get your hands on the check you need me to write. In fact I was surprised it took you a while to call."

If Serena felt a bit relaxed a while ago, now she felt like the ground would swallow her alive. She couldn't tell what she felt first: pain or humiliation. Painfully humiliated she decided.

But she tried her best not to show it, she'd thought about this a thousand times before she decided to call his office. Her father needs her and time is of the essence.

It had been two months since Kenji was diagnosed of his disease; she could tell that his condition was getting worse. Doctor said he needs a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible; something she knew they couldn't afford. She just got her father back in her life and would do anything to save him. It was just not fair that she would lose him after they've finally worked out their differences.

"Aside from the fact that my father owe a lot of money, he is in the hospital for two months now, that's why I requested for this meeting. I thought I'd ask if you'd consider if I work for your company instead, until I pay you off," she said as she watched Darien pick up the glass filled with water on the table to drink.

"That's if the offer still stands."

"I don't need someone who teaches autistic people for my business Serena." He said placing down the glass back on the table not releasing it. "And yes the offer still stands but I won't consider anything else in return. I need only the marriage."

Serena didn't know what else to say. He was saying he needed the marriage just like it was something randomly given out every day.

She watched him hold the glass hard then he began to speak again. "Though I must say I'm curious, you chose a very noble profession considering the price you paid for it." He emphasized the last three words.

"Which reminds me, why didn't you ask for Diam Turner's help or is he still mad that you broke up with him?"

_So this was what Kenji meant when he said Darien could have shouted at him and it would have been better. _

"I believe that's none of your business Darien and you have-"

"None of my business Serena? Just like how it was none of my business to decide whether I'd rather have you or the scholarship?" Darien said it like he was just telling her about the weather.

Still the impact of his words registered; her eyes widened.

"Why Serena, you looked surprised? Didn't think I could put two and two together?" Darien straightened himself, finally releasing the glass.

"When they said I lost my scholarship for no apparent reason, then got it back right after you left, I knew your asshole of a father did that." He eyed her.

For a while, Darien looked hurt as he said those words, but then he glared at her and said, "I should let him die."

Serena was beyond shocked; of course he was mad. His father was the reason they were having this very awkward conversation right now. But to wish someone to die...

"I see there's no point for this conversation. It seems to me that you've already made up your mind. I just...you know, I thought I'd try." She was close to tears so she took a deep breath, "anything so I don't have to watch my father die."

She gave him a pained laugh.

"I should probably go." _Or else whatever I ate earlier will come back _she thought. She started to get up placing her hands on the table for support.

Darien grabbed her hand. She felt his hands trembled and he said, "Don't."

It was the first contact they had that night. And the skin he was touching felt like it was burning. They were stuck like that for who knew how long. Staring at each other, his hand holding hers.

Darien was breathing heavier, he looked down on their joined hands and held on even tighter. Her hand was beginning to hurt and she heard him take a deep breath.

"I was stupid to bring that up, I... That was a thing in the past. It doesn't matter now." He seemed reluctant but he let her hand go when he felt her relax on the cushion.

"You can name your price love."

Serena froze at the endearment; he said it so fast it sounded like it just slipped. And he was using it as he asked her how much she was.

Darien raked his hair in frustration when she didn't reply.

"Serena, I will help you. But I don't want anything from you aside from marriage," he said.

"Has this got something to do about your engagement with Rei Hino?" She asked finally recovering. Maybe her suspicion was not far fetched after all.

Darien seemed deep in thought then smirked. She realized she was right. It really was because of his ex-fiancé.

"Of course. Rei is only confused, I know she will realize she was wrong to leave me when she finds out I married another woman. All you need to do is pretend we're in love until she comes back to me."

She was breathing harder than ever. She was "another woman" now, just someone to be used as a pawn to get back the queen into the chess game.

"But why can't you pretend to marry someone else Darien?"

"It would be convincing, given our history. Besides, it's convenient. Rei knows about you, we don't hide anything from each other Serena."

_Unlike what I did_. She thought, remaining silent.

"I will be investing a lot of money Serena, I think I should get my money's worth." He quirked his lips then added, "I could use a pretty face."

Serena felt like she could die on the spot. Her heart ached so much she wanted to stand up and leave. She couldn't remember Darien being this rude; even before when he used to tease her. Before they even fell in love with each other.

But love is not in the equation now. She had no other option; Kenji wasn't getting any better. And the bank would soon take the house.

"I guess that's fine." _It's definitely not fine. _But she continued to talk so she won't have time to back out.

"I'll marry you, but I won't sleep with you."

In an instant Darien rose and stood beside her while she remained seated, her eyes focused on her lap.

"Say that again."

"I said I agree to marry you for my dad's sake and to help you-"

"The other one, Serena." He said while he knelt down beside her, outraged.

"I won't sleep with you."

"We are going to be married Serena, I think that's-"

"In paper Darien. We are to be wed in the paper. That's a logical thing to do since we will just be using each other-"

He lifted her chin harshly; he looked really mad. "You're not the one calling the shots, Serena."

"Darien, I already feel terrible that I have to marry you for the money. I won't have sex with you. Not without a fight."

And then it happened. Darien grabbed her unceremoniously by the shoulders and kissed her.

Nothing was gentle with the kiss; he was sucking her lips so hard she knew it would bruise. He even bit her lower lip. The slight pain she felt was enough to bring her to her senses, so she attempted to push him, her hands on his chest. But that only seemed to aggravate him. He moved his left arm to her nape and pulled her even harder. He licked her lips with his tongue, the sensation caused Serena's lips to part. He took advantage of it and slipped his tongue inside while she felt his right arm on her thighs, caressing her. He was breathing harshly.

Serena could no longer control herself, she removed her left hand from his chest and held onto his arm instead. Her heary was pounding as she kissed him back; her tongue meeting his. She felt his hands slowly lift her dress but she couldn't care less. She felt drugged; his taste was driving her insane. Just when she let her shoulders loose, Darien pulled back. He looked at her then sneered.

"Challenge accepted, love." And he stood up and left Serena wondering if she would ever come out of this in one piece.

Note: When Darien said "teacher for autistic children" that was just Darien being a jerk. I totally respect people with special needs and those who teach them. This does not represent my view on the matter. Also sorry for the errors will fix 'em later, I just want to post it as soon as it's up.


	6. His moments of weakness

**SIX - Moments of weakness**

**Notes: hi I'm back. I intended this chapter to be Darien's POV of their reunion but it reveals a lot. So I decided to steer clear of our beloved hero's mind as much as possible. Less is more. :) Thanks for the reviews. SailorMoon isn't mine.**

Mina Aino glanced at the door of Darien Shields' office from her booth. Her boss had been away for three days now. To any observer it would appear that Mr. Shields was not available because he's on vacation. The usual bustling of people in and out of his office, whether employee or future business partner, was missing. But she knew otherwise, Mr. Shields is not on vacation. He just cancelled all his appointments. Mina reckoned that the man might be losing his marbles.

_She remembered that day so clearly, three days ago._

_It was just like any other day in the office. She was holding a report in her left hand and coffee on her right. She used her shoulders to push the door open into her boss' office._

_"Here you go Mr. Shields," she said, placing the coffee on the table first then handing him the report. _

_"Thank you." _

_She had been Darien Shields' secretary for two years now and she only has one way to describe him- strictly professional. _

_She rarely ever sees the man smile; he is quite reserved. He takes his business very seriously and always makes it a point to stick to his schedule. Well except that time when Mr. Kenji Tsukino came almost three months ago._

_She proceeded to brief him for the day's schedule. _

_"You have a ten-thirty with a potential investor and then lunch with Mr. Harris."_

_"Okay. Is the conference room ready?" He asked without looking up. _

_"On it Mr. Shields." She was about to leave when she remembered something. "Oh and Mr. Shields, a Ms. Serena Tsukino called earlier requesting for an appointment-"_

_"Serena? She called?" He said, eyeing her._

_"Well yes," Mina noticed his sudden interest, "and I said your schedule was full for the week; she sounded like it's urgent so I told her I'll talk to you about it as soon as possible."_

_"Call her back and ask her when she'll be available. Make the necessary adjustments. Then report back to me immediately."_

_Somehow, Mina was already expecting him to say exactly that. What is it with Tsukinos?, she asked herself._

_"Sure Mr. Shields, I'll call her back right now."_

_"No, wait, no!"_

_"Sorry?" she asked. Darien held up his hand, taking a moment to think. She waited._

_"Let her wait, call her just before the office closes tomorrow, tell her you told me and I just ignored her-" he paused _

_"-no wait, don't say that. Tell her you read the planner incorrectly and I'm free tomorr-" he paused again _

_"-no don't do that one. That would look like I'm very eager. And don't ask her when she's available, it should be on my terms..." He trailed off his brows furrowing. _

_There was silence for a long time; the man seemed to be contemplating so hard. Mina felt that Darien already forgot she's still there. _

_She cleared her throat._

_Silence._

_She coughed lightly._

_Still nothing._

_Mina decided to help. "Mr. Shields?"_

_He looked up._

_"Perhaps I can call her tomorrow before I leave and tell her there's been a last minute change in your schedule and you'll be free the following day, on thursday?," Mina asked then added, "Shall I make it 'sound' like her appointment was the last thing you had in mind but since you're free you might as well make use of the time?"_

_Darien considered it for a moment then grinned like he was some teenage boy and not a thirty-one year old, "Okay, do that."_

_"Noted, Mr. Shields," Mina turned on her heels, eyes wide with astonishment. _

_Mina thought that morning was weird. For the first time, she'd seen her boss ramble and unsure what to do._

_And just when she thought the weirdness was over, Darien Shields came out of his office late that afternoon asking her cancel all his appointments for the next days and to call Serena Tsukino RIGHT THAT VERY MOMENT._

_What's the weirdest? _

_Mr. Darien fucking Shields was standing right beside her the whole fucking time she was talking to Serena Tsukino._

_Today is Thursday_, Mina said to herself. Today is the day Darien Shields would be seeing Serena Tsukino.

The woman she was sure as hell would be the man's undoing.

_After Darien kissed her and abruptly left_, Serena stayed a little longer inside the booth to collect herself. When she felt like she can walk again, she got out and bumped into an old acquaintance. It was Lita, a friend she met in London. Lita became her flatmate after she moved out of the place she briefly shared with Diam. Lita was then working as an intern for a management company until she moved back to America. Lita invited her for tea and she didn't think twice to accept; she could really use a friendly company right now.

Lita said she's here because she's looking for a venue. It took them half an hour to catch up until Serena reluctantly said goodbye for she still needed to visit Kenji. She needs to tell him she's getting married.

"You should really see this band we're managing, they're a hit; they instantly got famous when they won a talent show in the US." Lita said, "Tell you what Sere, give me your number and address I'll send you VIP tickets. If things go well, they'll be coming here before the year ends as a part of the concert tour."

Serena smiled, Lita has always been very excited when it comes to her job.

"If you insist. What's the name of the band?" She asked.

"The Starlights."

Memories of a certain man flooded Serena upon hearing the name. She recalled a particular one as she walked out of the restaurant.

_"The Starlights?" Serena chuckled. "Who would name a band Starlights?" _

_"Well obviously me, sunshine." Seiya said. "Though I must say, I blame it on you."_

_"Me? Why would you blame me for naming your future band Starlight?" Serena asked._

_"Well, remember when you told me that you don't like the night sky because it reminds you of someone? It always makes you sad. I was hoping you'd notice there're stars up there too. And when you look up, you remember me instead."_

Serena's musing was interrupted by a gentle tap on her shoulder.

"Ms. Tsukino, I'm Pete. I've been waiting for you. Mr. Shields asked me to take you home. He remembered you might not have a driving license yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realize you were waiting. But I'm actually going to drop by to the hospital, it's not that far from here, I can take the bus."

"Don't worry, I'll drive you there and wait for you until you go home."

"Okay, but you don't really have to wait for me."

"It's okay, Mr. Shields specifically told me to make sure to take you home safe and sound."

_Four blocks from the Japanese restaurant,_ Darien Shields is in his car watching as the beautiful blonde woman get in the car. Two days of lying in his room thinking of this day and still nothing went as he planned. All the words he wanted to say just ran out of the window as soon as he saw the woman she had become; his sanity followed soon as he heard her speak with the faint traces of accent that must have rubbed off for staying in London too long. And that was the problem, she stayed there too long. She didn't come back, even after she graduated.

And now she was here, and it took her almost three months to seek him out, but for an entirely different reason. He admonished himself for even expecting she would come back for him. He banged his head on the steering wheel as he called himself-

"Idiot."

"Idiot."

"Idiot."


	7. I'll show you inside

**Seven**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. **

**Thank you for reading this story. This is short. Sorry. The succeeding chapters are harder to write because things will be a lot darker for these two characters after the wedding and I'm trying to be careful. My plan is to finish this story by November, so there... On to Chapter Seven. And I will sleep now. **

"Coming!"

Serena jumped from the chair she had been standing on for an hour now. She was repainting her old room in a futile attempt to distract herself from thinking about her current situation when the doorbell rang. She sprinted across the living room and reached for the door. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw Darien looking impossibly handsome in a casual navy polo shirt and slacks.

"Darien, I wasn't expecting-"

She forgot what she was about to say when Darien suddenly moved to trap her between the door and his huge frame. "That's obvious," he lifted a brow and looked down at her. She was wearing a loose gray blouse with holes and a pair of shorts; her body covered with purple stains. Her hair was twisted into a tight knot with a lot of stray strands. He tucked them behind her ears and brushed his thumb on her cheeks. For a while she thought he was going to kiss her, she tensed recalling the last time he did; Darien seemed to have remembered it too since he took a step back.

"Paint," he said holding up his now paint-stained thumb.

"Oh," she blushed, "I was repainting my old room, guess I wasn't doing a very great job."

"You should have told Pete, we could hire someone to do that," he reached for the phone in his pocket.

"No, no it's fine, I was just doing it on a whim," she said shaking her head, "actually; I want to thank you for sending him here every day. He's already been a really great help."

Since their first encounter, she would find Pete waiting at the front door every morning to give her a ride. At times, the man would also bring food and some supplies as per his boss' instructions. Serena dismissed this as just Darien's way of making sure she doesn't back out of their deal.

"Well, he said you're free today and I'd like to show you something. It won't be far from here." It was a demand and not a question.

"Something to do with the wed- arrangement?" She didn't wait for him to reply as she pushed the door further open, "Please come in, I'll just grab a quick shower."

_After a not so quick shower to remove the paint in her body and an awfully quiet car ride, _they arrived at their destination. Darien opened the door for her and she stepped out to find a huge house in front of her.

"Where are we, Darien?"

"This is where we'll live. I bought this place four years ago, the first property I actually acquired after my business picked up. I was saving this for when I'm...happily married..." He trailed off, looking at the house with a certain longing.

Neither of them said anything for a little while, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

Feeling a little out of place, Serena was first to speak. "Well, it sure is a beautiful house, Darien. I think it would be... I don't know...inappropriate? For us to live here? This place seems pretty special to you," she said nervously.

"I'd like her to see what she's been missing so I decided to use it," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Serena didn't know how else to react so she went for a casual, "Okay."

"I already hired an interior designer but I need you to help her," he gave her a meaningful look; "You remember how I wanted it to be, right?"

Serena was stunned, of course she remembers. Darien and she used to talk about their 'dream house' when they were younger. They would go for hours, lying in his apartment bed, discussing how they wanted their house to look like. She just wasn't expecting him to ask her to make _this house_ look like that. This house that was meant for Rei. And the worst part is, she would live here and probably be kicked out the moment Rei gets back to her senses. She had no idea how she managed it but she eventually croaked out a "YES."

"Come on, I'll show you inside."

Darien led her inside all the while making comments about what he plans for each room. Serena maintained a straight-face, nodding and answering at the appropriate times. When they went to the master bedroom on the second floor, Serena quickly headed to open the window to the balcony. She averted her eyes from the four-poster bed; it was stupid, but she could imagine Darien and Rei making love on the freaking bed.

The view from the balcony was breathtaking; the sun was about to set. She leaned over with her arms on the stone balustrade and closed her eyes. The coldness of the air around her helped ease the pain she'd been trying to suppress.

"Serena?" It was Darien.

"Hmmmn?"

"Will you marry me?"

Her eyes shot open and she spun quickly to face him, "What- what did you just say?"

Darien strode forward until he was a scant foot away from her, "I just asked you if you will marry me," he held up a small velvet box, "wasn't that the plan?"

The plan. Of course, how stupid of her to even think that it was a real wedding proposal.

"Well, yes, I guess." She shrugged.

Darien studied her face for a moment. He took her left hand and slid the ring on her finger. Closing the distance between them, he slowly tilted her head and pulled her by the waist using his other hand, as if he couldn't get any closer. He leaned in and pressed his lips very gently against hers. Serena couldn't help but close her eyes, as a single tear finally fell down on her cheek.


	8. Sham Marriage, Or Is it?

**Eight**

**AN: Forgive the lack of details in this chapter. I didn't really wanna bore you guys- okay, myself included- with all the wedding descriptions. Let's all use our imagination with Serena's gown. But I couldn't pass up the chance to let Darien wear a tuxedo. ;)**

**Thank you so much for all your follows, favorites and reviews. I'd love to mention you all here to show my appreciation but sadly, I'm too drained after writing this chapter and the second part- which I will be posting right after I'm convinced it's decent enough to be posted. **

"Dad, I told you it's okay. It's not your fault you couldn't be here today."

It was the third time Kenji called today to express his deep regret that he couldn't be with Serena on her wedding day. If not for his scheduled tests, Kenji would have insisted on leaving the hospital and walking her on the aisle. Of course, that's because her father was not aware that the marriage was a sham. She lied and told him that she and Darien are still in love; She realized it was easier to lie about something when that's what you wanted to believe in, too.

"Yes dad, of course we have lots of photos- and videos too- I'll show them to you as soon as we have them."

Serena smiled, she knew her father would be delighted when he sees the photos. Despite her initial objections, Darien insisted on having a big celebration. _Sure he wanted to make a fuzz out of it, to make sure news about the wedding would reach Rei._

Serena eventually caved in when she realized how excited her father was. She didn't like to warrant any suspicion from her father that she was just doing this for him. The least she wanted was to make her father feel guilty, especially in his condition.

"Dad!" Serena squirmed in her seat, which made Darien cast a curious look at his now blushing wife. She just smiled meekly at him. Her dad was talking about having grandchildren as soon as possible.

"Listen Dad, I'll call you later okay? We're almost...home." It was hard for her to call that house a home but what else could she call it. She felt Darien squeeze the hand he's been holding. She glanced at him but his eyes were closed. "I love you too, dad. I'll see you soon."

Silence filled the car as soon as she hangs up. And Serena was again made aware of the man seated beside her. The tuxedo he was wearing only made him more attractive; his hair was artfully swept away from his face for this occasion which emphasized his dark blue eyes more. Those eyes that were now staring at her.

"You look beautiful, love. Perfect." He smiled and looked at her with that look again. Like he was the happiest man alive right now. Which she finds weird considering they no longer have an audience. Except for Pete whose eyes were still focused on the road.

"Thank you. Though I was practically harassed for hours to look like this." She cringed as she tried to recall the amount of time before the stylist finally got tired of playing doll with her. " You don't look bad yourself, Tux boy."

Darien laughed, but that didn't surprise her anymore. Not like earlier when he laughed when she commented about how unfair it was that it took him probably just minutes to look like he did today. Or when he burst out laughing when she accidentally voiced her thought out loud about the wedding cake being the best cake in the world.

Perhaps she had the spirit of the celebration to blame because ever since she started walking on the aisle earlier, Darien had been fairly amicable towards her. In fact, she had- at some point during their wedding- almost believed that Darien was genuinely pleased to marry her. He kept smiling at her throughout the ceremony. He looked at her with tenderness when he recited his vows and since then he never once let go of her hand. Even during the reception where he had this boyish grin plastered on his face.

_It was like he was the Darien from ten years ago._

Serena immediately pushed those thoughts out of her mind. It's one thing to be hopeful but another to be just plain delusional. It had been clear to her ever since that day he proposed that this was just Darien's ploy to get Rei back. That same day when she foolishly cried herself to sleep. That same day she promised herself that she would never let her heart's guard down again.

In fact, she was quite resolved to keep her heart safe for the duration of this agreement. But she was finding it harder when Darien kept acting like this.

The car finally pulled up in front of the house Serena was now very familiar with. She'd been here a lot of times to help Gretchen- the interior designer. Thankfully, the woman's sprightly attitude made the task bearable for her. _I gained a new friend out of the experience- not bad, she said to herself._

"Blimey!" The British slang slipped when Darien suddenly picked her up and carried her bridal-style. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm carrying you over the threshold, of course. They say it brings bad luck if the bride _trips_ on her way inside." He teased referring to her clumsiness.

"I wasn't that clumsy. I just...had a brief penchant for Band-Aids. I've totally outgrown that."

"Still wouldn't risk it, odango. Imagine if it was true, then we might live the rest of our lives with bad luck."

It was supposed to be a joke but neither of them smiled when they both realized what Darien just said. There was evident tension as they looked away from each other.

Pete who apparently was still there, decided to talk at that moment, "Is there anything else you need, Sir?"

Darien shook his head, "Thank you, Pete. You can go home now."

"Have a good night then, Mr and Mrs Shields." Pete then entered the car and drove away before Serena could thank him.

"Darien, you can put me down now. Nobody's here watching us."

Darien just ignored her and proceeded to walk in complete silence. She motioned to get down when they were already inside but Darien just held her tightly; she gave up any attempt once he started to climb the stairs. She closed her eyes with a sigh and leaned on his broad shoulders.

When she felt him lay her down the bed, she immediately sat up and realized they were in the master bedroom. Darien sat down at the edge, his eyes closed and his hands balled into a tight fist.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as they sat in awkward silence. But she knew she had to get out of the room as soon as possible. She couldn't trust herself not to do anything stupid- like sleep with Darien- when she knew that this would just end with her being a broken mess.

"I took the liberty of bringing some of my stuff here last week. They're in the guest room. I hope you don't mind." She said all this as she slowly climbed off the bed. "We should get some rest, it's been a long-"

"Take off your clothes, Serena."

She took one deep breath. She knew this wouldn't be very easy. She still remembered that day at the restaurant when he kissed her senseless after she said she wouldn't have sex with him.

"I believe we already talked about this," she said as she grips the door knob.

"And I believe I already made myself quite clear, Love." His tone suggested that he was recalling the same day. He stood up and walked around the bed towards her.

"Please, don't call me that."

"I'll call you whatever it is I want to call you." He said, stopping when he was right behind her. "Now take them off, or I swear I'll rip them off of you."

**AN: Please let me know what you think. If you don't like where this is going, I can revise the next part since it wouldn't affect the ending. I mean, it's obvious this will still end with a groveling-Darien after being such a jerk. Who doesn't want that? Ha! **


	9. That's What Love is For

**Nine**

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Sailor Moon. But I must say I'm deeply disappointed that Tuxedo Mask is no longer throwing roses in the new anime. Why, oh why?

**AN: For those who don't know yet, this fanfic was entitled Bound To You because when I posted this I intended it to be literal. Something along the lines of Darien tying her on the bedpost because of his fear she might go away again. But then I realized adding that part will drag this story too long. It was a conflict not too easily resolved- if you know what I mean. You won't believe the number of files I discarded because every time I read it, I picture Darien as a psychotic. *shudders* **

**You can review or PM me if you have issues with this chapter. **

**I had to shift POVs at some point. Can't do it any other way. Bear with me. **

**I hope you like it. It's fairly long and a bit of a rollercoaster ride. **

_**Sometimes we make it harder than it is**_

_**We'll take a perfect night**_

_**And fill it up with words we don't mean**_

_**Dark sides best unseen**_

_**And we wonder why we're feeling this way.**_

"Take off your clothes, Serena."

She took one deep breath. She knew this wouldn't be very easy. She still remembered that day at the restaurant when he kissed her senseless after she said she wouldn't have sex with him.

"I believe we already talked about this," she said as she grips the door knob.

"And I believe I already made myself quite clear, Love." His tone suggested that he was recalling the same day. He stood up and walked around the bed towards her.

_**Sometimes I wonder if we really feel the same**_

_**Why we can be unkind**_

_**Questioning the strongest of hearts**_

_**That's when we must start**_

_**Believing in the one thing that has gotten us this far.**_

"Please, don't call me that."

"I'll call you whatever it is I want to call you." He said, stopping when he was right behind her. "Now take them off, or I swear I'll rip them off of you."

"Excuse me?" She turned around and regarded him incredulously. "Are you even listening to yourself?"

"I'm giving you a choice, Serena." His voice clipped.

"Choice?" She laughed bitterly. She could not believe this is Darien she was talking to. That this was the same man she sacrificed a decade of her life for, living alone, away from everyone she knew. "Which both ends up with me underneath you? Look, I don't know what your motivation is for doing this-"

"We're married, Serena!" He raked his hands in his hair. "You're my wife!"

"I'm not your wife!" For the first time, she didn't think of what she said as strong emotions overwhelmed her. "You're asking too much from the woman you're using to get back your intended! The woman who agreed to _pretend_ to be your wife because her father was dying! We didn't marry out of love. I needed your charity but that-"

"DAMN IT!"

Darien abruptly pushed her against the wall and kissed her fiercely, tangling his hands in her hair to tilt her face. Serena stood stunned in place as she felt his hands on her body. She was alarmed; she knew if this goes on she won't be able to stop herself. Her skin was tingling from his touch, even with the silk gown, but she steeled herself. Pulling away from his kiss, she tried to slip her arms between their bodies.

Groaning, he caged her to him in a tight hug and spun around, half carrying her toward the huge bed. They landed in a loud whoosh with him on top.

What Darien did next was beyond anything Serena thought he would actually do. To her extreme dismay, Darien pinned both her hands above her head with one of his. She heard him curse loudly as he ripped the bodice of her gown. Without any second thought, he grabbed one of her exposed breasts roughly and sucked the other.

"Darien!"

Her eyes widened as she screamed his name in disbelief- and hurt.

_**That's what love is for**_

_**To help us through it**_

_**That's what love is for**_

_**Nothing else can do it**_

Darien instantly froze.

Hearing Serena scream his namewith so much anguish was like cold water splashed in his face; His mind cleared from his anger and lust. Never in his existence did he dream of Serena screaming his name in that way. It absolutely brought him back to his senses.

_**Melt our defenses**_

_**Bring us back to our senses**_

_**Give us strength to try once more**_

_**That's what love is for.**_

He was utterly disgusted with himself as he saw the hand still grasping her right breast, peeling it away as if it would burn him. The hand restraining hers loosened. He was still lying on top of her and he could hear her muffled sobs causing his heart to painfully constrict. He was so ashamed of himself as he finally realized what he did.

He pushed himself away, moving to the edge of the mattress rather quickly; afraid she might break if it took him any longer.

This was not how he planned this night to be.

Fuck, this wasn't how he planned _everything_ to be.

But he couldn't- for the life of him- do or say anything right when she's around. Her indifference had been driving him to the brink of insanity.

He should be wise enough not to expect anything from her after ten long years. But deep inside, he knew he'd rather die than to fucking leave her alone. Than to fucking let her go again. How ironic that he was able to patiently wait for years until he got the chance to manipulate her return. But now that she's here, he finds himself constantly losing any sense of rationality.

_**Sometimes i see you**_

_**And you don't know i am there**_

_**And I'm washed away by emotions**_

_**I hold deep down inside**_

_**Getting stronger with time**_

_**It's living through the fire**_

_**And holding on we find**_

Serena sat up, her head down but he could clearly see her trembling. He wanted to kill himself as he watched her, desperately clutching the fabric of her ruined dress to cover her body. He didn't dare avert his gaze.

_I deserve this kind of torture. Even the fires of hell would be a lot sweeter than this._

The long silence was deafening. Part of him wanted to get out of the room, but he's certain that he will never be able to live with himself if he left her in this state. Shrugging off his tuxedo jacket, he carefully moved near her. He waited for any sign of protest. When she remained still, he wrapped it around her and gently pulled her head to his chest.

"Serena, I'm...I'm so sorry."

He hugged her tighter. He couldn't help but close his eyes, feeling how good it is to have her in his arms again. Just like before, when all he needed to go on in this life was she.

She was his only family.

His home.

"You...stopped," said Serena in between sobs.

"I never _even_ should've done that." His voice pained as one hand stroked her hair. "God, I'm such a stupid-"

"Jerk? Idiot? Blighter?" She breathed in deeply then softly exhaled, "Yes, you are."

"Serena, I won't...I will never do that-"

"I know."

He let out a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding. It was somehow a sign of her forgiveness- something he will never deserve. _His Odango_- her heart was always willing to forgive someone without hesitation. He continued to hold her massaging her back until she completely relaxed.

"Darien?"

He didn't get a chance to ask why- for in the silence- he heard her stomach growl.

"I think...I'm hungry."

He fought the urge to laugh. _His Odango- _her appetite knows no boundaries.

"Let's get something to eat."

Darien paused from chopping the onions when Serena entered the kitchen. She was dressed in a plain white shirt and sweat pants. He studied her face under the bright light as she was looking at the ingredients on the table. Her eyes were red from crying and her lips swollen from his harsh kisses. His heart gave a lurch when he saw a slight bruise on her lower lip. He couldn't even imagine what other things she suffered from what he did. Not to mention the emotional pain he caused her.

This will forever haunt him.

"What are you making?" She asked, eyeing him curiously.

"Ri...rice bowl." He stammered, caught off guard. "Oyakodon, I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"Well, we haven't got much supply here yet. Our staff won't be here until Monday. I just have to improvise."

"Can I help?"

"You know how to cook now?"

"A little. I used to watch when my flatmate cooks our meal. When she went back to California, I had to try it myself." She stated, placing the frying pan on the stove.

"She? Turner?" He asked in confusion as he hands her the wine and sugar mixture he made to replace mirin.

"No. Her name's Lita." She said, staring at the flames of the stove. "I left Diam's place as soon as I can. Lita was kind enough to take me in before I even got a job."

"You did that?" He asked, frowning, "He said you moved out after you two...broke up." He didn't add the fact that Diam said she left to be with someone else.

"You guys talked?"

"Briefly, just before I graduated." Darien can still recall that day. He was very desperate for any news about Serena; he didn't have the resources back then. When he saw Diam at the restaurant he was working for, he shamelessly asked him. He should have known better than to trust that douche.

"Diam can be...misleading sometimes." She just shrugged.

He could taste something bitter in his mouth as he recalls the things he said at the restaurant.

_You can name your price, love._

_I should get my money's worth._

_I could use a pretty face._

_"_Darien? Are you alright?" She said with worry.

Staring at her eyes, she wondered how she can even look at him with concern. He pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hey." She said, bewildered. "The frying pan is starting to smoke, you know."

_**Round off the edges**_

_**Talk us down from the ledges**_

_**Give us strength to try once more**_

_**That's what love is for**_

"It was delicious. I'm glad I helped. You couldn't have done that without me." Serena said leaning back on her chair.

"Whatever you say, love." He smiled in spite of himself. Serena actually decided to just sit back and watch after she burned half of the chicken. He had to start over. How his poor odango survived in London was beyond him.

"Would you like some dessert?" Hopeful she wasn't too tired yet. He desperately wanted to spend some more time with her. "We have ice cream... strawberry."

"Movie?"

With that, he gave her a whole-hearted smile. _God bless ice cream._

**It's almost midnight**; the only light in the living room was the bluish hue coming from the television. Darien was facing her, his head leaning on his hand and his elbow propped on the backrest of the couch; they have been totally ignoring the movie they picked.

"Talk some more."

"About what?"

"I don't know. Anything."

"Anything?" Her brows quirked, Darien had been asking him about her "adventures" in London for the past hour. Even those inconsequential ones- like if she ever owned a cat back there. Though she was silently wondering about his sudden interest, she just kept talking. It felt good that they can at least, for once, talk with ease. She was tired because of everything that happened today, but she didn't want this night to end. These are memories she could keep when all this is over.

"You must be tired. I'm sorry; I'm keeping you from your sleep."

Apparently, she had been lost in her thoughts again; she forgot that he was waiting for a reply.

"A bit, but it's alright."

"You need to sleep. You can use our bedroom; that bed is more comfortable than the one in the guest room."

"No. It's okay, besides my stuff is in the other room."

Moving closer, Darien brushed his thumb over her lower lip.

"Does it hurt?"

"No." She'd seen her reflection in the bathroom mirror and knew what he was referring to.

"Can I kiss you goodnight?"

She glanced at him- surprised that he would ask- but smiled and nodded anyway. She found herself leaning in his hands, closing her eyes to revel in his touch. When she opened her eyes again, his lips were just a mere inch away from hers. The smell of his cologne and strawberry making her mouth water in anticipation; she almost jumped at him.

"This-" he said, his voice husky. He was so near she could feel his warm breath against her face. "-Won't hurt," and he finally pressed his lips softly.

It was unlike any he'd given her. He started by kissing the corners then angling his face to cover her lips fully. Inhaling heavily, she gave in to his kiss.

The kiss seemed to convey their feelings more than their words could and they were both out of breath when they separated- the tips of their noses pressed together.

"Darien," she paused to breathe, then smiled, "can I kiss you goodnight, too?"

Chuckling, he claimed her lips again. _Fuck the oxygen, who needs it anyway, he said to himself._

His tongue teased her until she parted her lips, stroking his way inside in a sweet slow motion that caused Serena's insides to quiver. She wrapped her arms around his neck, melding her body close to his, and kissed him back with the same intensity. Darien breathed a sigh against her mouth as he hauled her by her waist to deepen the kiss.

Slowly- like testing the water- he slipped his hand under the hem of her shirt, brushing his fingers on her stomach. She made a sound on her throat as his hands continued to roam beneath her shirt, running along her spine and stopping to unclasp her bra. She groaned when he pulled away from the kiss to tug her clothes off. It flew across the room and he moved to trail kisses on her shoulder blades. She pulled her head back as he began to knead her breasts, the warmth of his palm travelling to her skin. He dipped his head and began to suckle her left breast flicking his tongue along the tight peak.

Her body was feverish as she fumbled for his shirt and Darien momentarily moved to take it off only to come back to devour her with greater intensity. She clawed her fingers in his bare back as Darien gently pulled her nipple with his teeth.

Ten years, but still he knew just what to do to turn her whole body into mush.

His kisses travelled up her neck and she could feel the beating of his heart as he pressed his chest against her, the warmth of his naked torso sensitizing her skin.

He spoke against her neck in a low, grumbling voice.

"Serena, I can't stop."

"Please, don't," She begged.

It was all he needed to hear; He stood up taking her in his arms and kissed her as he made his way upstairs in the fastest way possible. He laid her gently, running his palm on her stomach down to her waist. He pulled the rest of her clothing, discarding them on the floor, and groaned in appreciation at the sight before him.

"You're perfect, love."

Kneeling in front of her, he grabbed her knees- pushing them far apart- and without a word plunged his head between her legs.

Serena moaned in pleasure as he felt Darien swipe his tongue on her sensitive folds, swirling the tip of his tongue over the sensitive peak. She tangled her hands in his hair pulling it with every torturous flick of his tongue. She gasped when Darien probed his tongue inside moving his hands to gently rub her throbbing nub. Replacing his thumb with his tongue to nibble the already sensitive flesh, he pushed one finger inside and stroked her inner walls with skill. It didn't take long before she cried out to an intense release.

As her breathing gradually returned to normal, she gazed beneath her lashes and found Darien intently looking at her, desire evident in his dark blue eyes. But there's something more, something she couldn't place. She suddenly felt more vulnerable: it was like he was reaching deep inside her soul. Immediately, she turned her head to look away.

She heard the rustling of clothing then the bed dipped as Darien pressed his naked body against her. Her body ignited once more as every inch of him covered her, his whole weight against her. She could smell his spicy masculine scent as he placed his arms alongside her head, his hard erection gently probing at her entrance.

He began to nuzzle her neck, trailing kisses and licking behind her ear as he pushed deep inside her with one hard thrust.

Gasping, her eyes began to wet, feeling that familiar sensation of being filled by him. Digging her nails in his back, she pulled him closer.

For a moment, Darien remained still; his body was shaking as he pressed his forehead on the side of her face.

"Look at me." His voice tortured.

But she can't. She didn't think she could stand the additional intimacy of staring into his eyes. Those midnight blue eyes that have haunted her for so long. If she looked at him now, with him inside of her, she might not be able stop herself from saying something like- _Take me back instead of Rei._

At the back of her mind, she knew that this will bite her on the ass in the end. But she can't deny herself any longer.

Thankfully, Darien did not ask again. Sighing, he kissed her cheek as he began to move inside her, slowly and deliberately, her internal muscles clenching around him. Her hands travelled frantically all over his body and her hips moved to meet his every thrust, desperate for more.

"Kiss me, please, love." He pleaded tenderly.

She complied, holding his face with both hands. He groaned against her mouth and started to pound harder, becoming more erratic with every move, as if he couldn't get any deeper. She was writhing and moaning as currents of pleasure ran through her body from every hard thrust.

Crying out his name, she heard Darien call out hers- burying himself deep inside one last time- as intense climax finally took over them.

AN: thanks for all those who reviewed last chapter. I never got the chance to reply to all of them but I appreciate them all!

_**If you know the song "That's what Love is for" by Amy Grant the lines in bold italics were verses of that song. That was my inspiration for the previous chapter and this one.**_


	10. The Donor

TEN

**AN: Sorry this update took a little while, I started a new story because the idea had been distracting me from writing this chapter. If things go as planned, three or four more chapters and this fanfic will be finished. Any institution mentioned in this chapter was used in a fictitious manner. And I don't own Sailor Moon.**

Sunlight spilled through the curtains of the massive bedroom. With closed eyes, Darien stretched out his arms to the other side of the bed, hoping- as usual- that his wife slept beside him this time. It had been like this since the first night of their wedding.

He respected her decision to have a separate room. However, during those _very few_ times that he managed to seduce her, they end up in this room. In the middle of the night, when Serena assumed that he was already asleep, she would move back to the guest room and just leave a note in the morning that she'd already gone to the hospital.

Serena was clearly avoiding him.

What bothers him the most was that she still refused to look at him when they're making love.

There were instances that he wanted to confess that he loves her; but his fears always get the better of him.

He was so afraid to hear the truth.

He think he would die to hear Serena actually say that she doesn't love him.

The only times she responded to him was when they were having sex. Which, in his opinion, wasn't a very good sign. He would give just about anything to know what's on her mind. As days passed, he's becoming more and more desperate for any- no matter how tiny- sign of affection from her. But lately, she spent most of her time with her father.

He headed to his closet, thinking about a nice cup of coffee. He was about to pick up a pair of boxer shorts when he noticed the photo his hired investigator sent him a few years ago. It was a photo of Serena and a man with black hair.

The shot was stolen, only the sides of their faces visible, but he was sure as hell it was Serena. They were attaching a love padlock on a bridge in Paris.

This was the reason he believed Diam Turner when the fool said Serena moved in with another guy.

The stabbing pain he felt when he first saw the photo went back but now with even greater force. He felt even more insecure. She may already be bound to him in marriage, but only because she needed his help. His charity.

_I'm the woman who agreed to pretend to be your wife because my father was dying. We didn't marry out of love._

He pressed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths to compose himself.

A few minutes later, he shook his head vehemently and ripped the photo in pieces.

"I don't care! If I have to crawl my way back into her heart achingly slow, then so be it!"

Serena paced along the quiet hallway of the third hospital she visited today. She was tired from getting up too early in the morning and arriving home late at night but she had to. Ever since the results came that she's not a possible donor for Kenji, she became too busy looking for possible matches.

So busy that she's starting to miss Darien.

It's hard not to, especially when he's being a lot nicer to her. But right now, finding a match for her dad is of greater importance.

A blue-haired woman in white scrub suit approached her after twenty minutes of waiting.

"Serena Shields?"

"Ye...yes. Just Serena, please." Still not used of the surname.

"I'm Ami Mizuno, I reviewed your request but I'm sad to say that you're looking for a rare HLA type. Besides, we don't really specialize in these cases. Have you tried Aishi Institute or Japan Bone Marrow Foundation?

"Yes, but they said the same..." She said, crestfallen. "But thank you for your help." She bowed.

"Serena, aren't you married?" Ami asked.

"Yes," she cast her a curious glance.

"I knew it was you on the newspaper. Darien Shields and I went to the same junior high school. He's your husband, right?"

"Um, yes. But why did you ask?"

"Well, if you're planning to conceive anyway, you can opt for an umbilical cord blood transplant."

"I'm sorry, conceive? She asked, not believing what she heard. "I...I have to get pregnant?"

_Bloody hell._

**If you spot any grammar errors or incorrect spellings, by all means, point it out. Business is going crazy, I might not be able to revise this. **


	11. What I'd do For a Lifetime With You

ELEVEN for BTY (Fanfictiondotnet)

It was a late Friday afternoon, the scent of peeled oranges wafted the hospital room, Serena dropped by to check on her dad and inform him that she will take the weekend to get some much needed rest. She was feeling a little off lately, probably due to stress, lack of sleep and endless driving. Besides, having visited every institution regarding Kenji's case, she doubted there was anything left for her to do but wait.

She refused to consider what Ami Mizuno suggested since her relationship- if it can even be called that- with Darien is only temporary. It was bad enough that she couldn't resist the temptation of sleeping with him, getting pregnant will only make the matter worse. The point of this arrangement in the first place was to help Darien get back the woman he wanted to have his own family with. Not get knocked up and be a single mother in the process.

She handed a fruit to the man she'd probably spend the rest of her life with: her dad.

"Will you call me if you need anything?"

She noted how her father looked a lot better than he was before she agreed to marry Darien. True to his word, his husband for the time being provided the best medical attention for her dad.

"I'll be fine, angel. You need to rest; spend more time with your husband. Seriously, when your mom and I got married, we were inseparable for months. You being here every day must be very difficult for both of you."

She forced a smile; how she wished she could really have that kind of relationship with Darien. But letting those thoughts linger in her mind will only make everything hard for her in the end. What happened to her resolve of keeping her heart safe? She really needed the weekend to think things over. "Darien understands, dad. We'll have all the time together, but we just want to get you out of here first."

Fabricating lies had been a constant thing to do for her lately. The nagging of her conscience bothers her, but she'd rather deal with it than let her dad worry.

There was a gentle knock on the door and surprise registered in both their faces when they saw the subject of their conversation entering the room.

Darien, dressed in a fine business suit, sauntered toward his wide-eyed wife to kiss her cheeks and mumble a "Hi"; then he turned to Kenji and, to their greater astonishment, sank to the floor and bowed.

If not for the seriousness on Darien's face, the puzzled look her father was giving her as he glanced from Darien to her almost made her laugh. This was the first time Darien ever visited Kenji; the first time they ever come face-to-face again after their fated meeting at Darien's office. No one, who knew how the two men loathed each other, would expect Darien Shields to show any form of respect to her father.

"How are you, Mr. Tsukino?" He asked when he finally stood straight.

"F... Fine. I'm Fine. And call me dad; you're my...son now." Kenji whispered. "We're family now."

Darien tried not to react at the mention of family. As much as the idea appealed to him, he doesn't want to get his hopes too high, especially when he wasn't sure whether he'll manage to win Serena's affections back. But he was tired of staying cooped up in either his bed or his office to wallow about her feelings for him or lack thereof.

He can't just give up now that she's within his grasp. He's going to try, even if it takes a long time. He was just hoping that it wouldn't take her _too _long, because he intends to have a lot of babies with her. He smiled to himself just thinking about it.

He wants one big, happy family with her.

Noticing the discomfort between the two men, Serena decided to interject, "Dad's doing great, thanks to you," and encircled an arm around his waist.

The next twenty minutes passed with Darien intently asking question after question about Kenji's condition. Serena was again wondering about his interest, but then, she never knew what to expect of him anymore.

"Thanks for visiting my dad. I was beginning to worry that he might be tired of my face; it must be very refreshing for him to see and talk to someone else." She said when they were walking along the corridors, having already said goodbye to her dad.

"About time I visit him after our wedding. Anyway, Pete said you've been driving on your own." His tone was laced with worry.

"Oh, that. Yes. I've been to a lot of institutions lately, looking for possible donors for dad; I didn't really want to bother Pete that much."

"Is that why you've been leaving very early these past few days?" He asked with a hint of sadness.

_Was it possible that he missed me too, she thought to herself._

"And arriving very late at night, yes. But I'll be staying home this weekend if you need me." She suddenly felt the need to explain. "I'm sorry; I seem to be doing nothing to keep my end of the bargain."

"Any luck finding a match?" He ignored what she last said and focused on the probability that she wasn't really avoiding him after all. One of these days, he's going to tell her the truth... He's going to tell her that he had been carrying that ring on her finger since their meeting at the Japanese restaurant. That once his private detective confirmed that she arrived here in Japan, he rushed to the jewelry shop and bought that ring. It took all his self-control not to come barging at the Tsukino residence and begged for her to marry him. Now, he silently wished he did exactly that.

"No. It's proving to be a rare type. Even I'm not a match."

"Let's have mine tested."

Serena came to a halt and faced him. This day seemed to be full of surprises. "You'll do that?"

"Why not?" He might still hold a slight grudge against Kenji but he's willing to set that aside, if not completely forget about it, just for her. Anything for her. "You should have told me that sooner, we can use whatever connections I have to speed things up."

"Thank you, Darien." She smiled and looked directly at his midnight blue orbs. "Really, thank you. You've done so much already; I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"Have dinner with me." He badly missed sharing a meal with her that he took the opportunity quickly, then berated himself upon realizing how that may sound to her. "I don't mean it that way. It's just that there's this new French restaurant near Shields hotel. And I'm curious why a lot of people go there. I'd really love your opinion on the food. And you don't have to worry about anything to _repay _me."

She giggled when he finished ranting. "Unless you count French fries, I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm really not fond of French cuisine. The names alone drive me nuts. Not that what we Japanese name our food makes any sense to them."

"But you've been to Paris, right?" He asked without thinking. He seemed to seriously forget to use his brain to mouth filter when it comes to Serena.

"Well, yes. But I don't think that makes me an expert with regards to anything French. How'd you know I've been there?"

"Wild guess? I don't see why you won't take a chance to visit when it's really not far from where you lived."

"Right," she accepted his explanation with a shrug. "Well I've been there with a friend for barely a day." _Seiya._ It was Seiya Kou who half dragged her only to put that padlock on Pont des Arts Bridge.

_"Come on, Sere. Who says friends can't put locks on this bridge? Besides, if this is really effective, I don't mind being locked to you for all eternity." Seiya playfully said, but she knew there was truth behind his words._

_She tried dating Seiya after two years of knowing the aspiring singer but gave up completely upon realizing that she really can't love anyone else. It would be very unfair for him, who did nothing but be a good friend to her. She told him the truth; she owes him that, but Seiya was relentless._

_In the end she agreed to attach the padlock with their names on it when he said that he will think of it as her farewell gift before his band joined the US talent show._

_Then, after the lock clicked, he said, "Who knows, this lock may work in another lifetime..." _

"Okay, how about we order take out from our favorite restaurant, then let's watch a movie at home?" He said dismissing the topic about Paris. The least he wanted was to ruin his chances altogether by not being able to control his jealousy and saying things he might regret again. He already had a taste of life with Serena during their first night- even if it wasn't a perfect night- and he would give up everything just to keep that and have more than that.

"If you really want to go to that new restaurant, that's fine with me. We can try the food together. But I need to go home first, I don't think I'm dressed for something that fancy." She said, pointing at her yellow sundress.

"We can go there tomorrow evening. Then I'll make you pancakes tomorrow morning or whatever it is you eat in the morning. And I have a special recipe in mind for lunch." His mind was already working double-time to come up with a perfect surprise for her.

"You're not trying to bribe me with food, are you?"

"Is it working?"

He sighed in relief when she grinned and said, "I'd love to spend the weekend with you, Darien."

**AN: Okay so I was expecting a longer chapter than this so maybe it will be more than four more chapters to go. I just think I should establish their relationship first before the conflict. So, for now I'll take a nap and hope I can come up with a fantastic weekend for our pair. **

**The amount of traffic this fanfic is getting really surprises me. I'm happy a lot of people take time to read my story. Also, thank you for the alert subscriptions, reviews and favorites. **


	12. A Glimpse of Forever

BTY12

Skipping dinner was definitely not the plan but Darien couldn't bear to wake Serena, who drifted off to sleep the minute she leaned on the car seat. He pulled up on the driveway, cut the engine and shifted to watch her, captivating even in her sleep, soft lips slightly parted, inviting, tempting him to make a move.

It took all his barely hanging self-control not to grab and kiss her, concern for her health, somehow, still much stronger than the overwhelming need to claim her everywhere, anywhere, any way possible - anytime she would consent.

With a deep sigh, he allowed himself to relish in the comfort of merely being this close to her, the thought of losing her again, abhorrent, no longer an option.

She appeared to be very exhausted, head leaning against the leather seat, taking deep and heavy breaths. The extent she was willing to go through, not only for her father, but for everyone she cares about astounds him to no end. He was, after all, a living proof to her selflessness, and everything he has, a painful reminder of that.

Of what he lost.

The only thing keeping him from hating his luxurious life was the fact that it's what he's using to keep her grounded, tethered, bound to him.

Which was bitter pill to swallow.

Over the years, he tried to find ways to forget her, despise the decision she made, hate her for leaving without a word, but he just ended up desperately wanting her back, pathetically longing for her, hopelessly loving her more. His memories of her took root, and it just never stopped growing until she became an obsession, his only goal in life.

His anchor.

No one can tell him, after all those years, he didn't try to replace her, give himself another chance at love. Good Lord, he tried and tried, but he eventually got fed up deluding himself, done hurting other people along the way. He had placed her so high on a pedestal where no other woman could reach. No one ever came close. Because he wouldn't consider, wouldn't let anyone come near enough - not even Rei.

Serena ruined him in more fucking ways than anyone could ever imagine.

Silently, he got off the car to her side and gently lifted her to the guest room, settling her down with so much care, fragile and precious. He kissed her forehead, the safest spot his quivering lips could tolerate at the moment, and turned to leave to get some rest of his own. He was already halfway to his room when he turned back around, without second thought, picked up her sleeping form again and carried her to the master bedroom this time - their room.

_Fuck, Darien, what are you doing? _He groaned to himself as she stirred and buried her face against the soft pillow. He expelled a deep breath when he was certain she's still sleeping. _Do you plan to take advantage of an unconscious woman? Get her the fuck out here - to her own room, unless you plan on suffering from blue balls the whole night. There's no way in hell you'd be able to sleep when she's this close. _He almost laughed at his thoughts.

This woman was unwittingly, effortlessly, undeniably turning him into a psycho - a freaking lunatic.

_If this isn't crazy in love, I don't know what it is._

_Just tonight, _he amended.

Resigned, he shrugged out of his suit and shirt, kicked off his shoes and laid down beside her, a good safe distance away, his head above both arms, pinning them so he could stop himself from touching her. He closed his eyes but all he could think about were his greedy hands roaming around her soft body, his ravenous mouth marking its way all over her flesh, his manhood... "Fuck!" He sat up and ran an agitated hand along his tousled hair.

"Sleep you, idiot." He mumbled to himself as he stole a glance, her back on him, yellow sundress hitching dangerously high for his lustful eyes. "This is extreme torture." He reached out to smooth the fabric down but ended up scooping her in his arms, pressing his face against her hair, its scent not helping to quell his desire, instead igniting it further to the point of melting.

He couldn't remember having someone this close and make him feel distressed and comforted at the same time.

"Fucking go to sleep, stupid." He repeated the words over and over, and then cursed when Serena snuggled more closely into his bare chest, an innocent arm wrapping around his waist, one leg moving between his. He heard her sighing in contentment like this was a usual position for her. His erection - his poor member - that had been hard the whole fucking time, was now being trapped, teased and tormented by her unknowing leg. He wonder if he would come if Serena would move again.

What amazed him more was that Serena remained asleep, not at all bothered by the loud pounding of his heart. "It's going to be a long night for you, idiot. What were you thinking bringing her here? Moron."

His face turned red when he felt, more than heard, Serena's muffled giggles against his chest. "How long have you been awake?" He asked when he recovered from his own laughter.

"Long enough to hear you call yourself all kinds of insult," she said in between giggles, her face still hidden. "Go on, don't let me interrupt you; I was rather enjoying the show."

Darien rolled over until he was on top of her, pressing his entire weight against her, "Enjoying, huh?" He watched as her eyes widened when he began tickling her.

"Stop it! Darien! No more!" She said between fits of laughter. "Please! I promise, I won't tell anyone you have a habit of snatching people from bed!" that only earned her another bout of tickles, stopping only when she could no longer laugh, her face almost stiff, eyes filled with tears, happy tears.

He caged her face between both arms, one hand brushing away the stray locks from her face. "I missed you."

"Me, too."

He dipped his head to kiss her and fought the urge to take her then and there, reminded of the fact that she hadn't had dinner yet. "I didn't stop by the restaurant earlier, I was anxious to get you home because you were so tired, but we'll sure find something downstairs. Mrs. Sato does a great job of keeping the kitchen well stocked all the time. You hungry?"

She nodded. He was ready to move away from her, but one look at her bunched up dress, exposing her thighs made him groan and curse loudly, all remaining self-control escaping through the darkness of the night. Checkmate. "On second thought, love," his eyes glinted with mischief, boyish grin plastered as he reached for his phone, "let's settle for take-out, Chinese okay? I'll keep you well _entertained_ while we wait."

Darien had no idea what the fuck he ordered; he was seated deep inside of Serena long before the operator even said hello on the other line. The lady who took his order was unsure whether it was a sarcastic remark or a genuine request when he said, "Take your time."

* * *

Many studies claim that our memories of past experiences are fallible, distorted and fabricated by our own minds to meet our fantasies. It's the reason people get too stuck up in the past, desire to bring back the good old days so strong, even unhealthy sometimes. Those moments that were too good to be true are rather tempting to relive.

But what's sweeter than fantasizing of the same dream over and over for ten long years? Darien's answer, waking up to find said dream snuggled against his body, the warmth radiating from her a relieving proof that everything is real.

She's really here.

And waking up next to Serena was pure heaven. All his fantasies paled in comparison to this moment.

"You don't know how long I waited for you." He said as he traced a finger along her shoulders, still not quite believing his luck when she agreed to sleep beside him last night, promising to keep his hands to himself, but throwing said promise to the bin the minute she was within his reach.

They were both totally sated, utterly spent and she was deep asleep when he made another promise to her. Only this, time he intends to keep it.

_There won't be forever, love, until you're really mine again._

* * *

_You don't know how long I waited for you. _It was barely a whisper, but the words struck deep inside Serena's heart, still she didn't move a muscle, afraid that everything would be taken away if she so much as twitch. _Would things be different had I came back sooner? Before you got tired of waiting? _

She had been questioning her sanity all night as she responded to Darien's every kiss, moaned with his every thrust, accepted him wholeheartedly as if he was still hers.

At some point, she just stopped thinking altogether.

_Pain when this ends would be inevitable. It would break me anyway. So, what's wrong with being selfish for once and pretend?_

And pretend she did. Pretend this is a natural thing to do, to wake up in his welcoming arms, as if the past decade never happened. As if there was no void in their relationship. As if a lot of water hadn't passed under the bridge.

Make believe can only get her so far. She knew that.

But she no longer cared.

_Her only wish was that time would stand still because this, this is her forever._

* * *

**AN: It's short and nothing much happened, I know. But it's essential. **

**Also, I've been watching the last two episodes of SM Crystal over and over that I was obsessed I forgot to write anything. Lol. I noticed that the Shintennou are still alive and Venus' remark about Kunzite's past was intriguing. Hmmm... Are they going for a Shenshi-Shintennou pairing? Can't wait for Act 9. I almost threw my laptop against the wall with that evil cliffhanger! **

**Next chapter will come out sooner. I'll be a little busy preparing treats for adorable kids who would come knocking at the shop, but I have a few drafts for the next updates.**

**Have a great Halloween. ;)**


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